


An Amendment to Dinner Plans

by GoldenUsagi



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Meeting, Fluff, M/M, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-08-16 09:33:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8097043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenUsagi/pseuds/GoldenUsagi
Summary: Hannibal is planning to kill someone from his Rolodex, and has made arrangements for them to have car trouble.  Except there’s a mix-up, and the man he meets on the roadside is Will Graham—not the man he was planning to kill, and also the most stunning man he’s ever seen.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this [gifset](http://helloyangmal.tumblr.com/post/150483062232/au).

Hannibal had waited nearly two years to kill Dr. Palmer, and tonight he was patiently sitting a block away from the faculty parking lot, ready for whenever the professor left from teaching his late night Thursday class. Hannibal had already made a small gouge in the gas tank of the man’s car, and now sat in pleasant anticipation.

When a figure finally emerged from one of the nearby buildings and made its way to the car, Hannibal was ready. 

He waited until the car pulled out onto the main street before starting his own car and following. Tailing the car with the minimal traffic was easy, and once Dr. Palmer pulled out onto the highway, Hannibal dropped back further.

A light rain started, and Hannibal turned on his windshield wipers. The car ahead of him was over half a mile away, but there was nothing to obstruct his view from the steady taillights in front of him. After another two miles, the brake lights were pressed, and Hannibal smiled.

He saw the car pull onto the shoulder, and saw the lights go off as it was stopped. Hannibal dropped his own speed as he approached, and then pulled over himself as he came up behind the car. In the beam of his headlights, he could make out the man kneeling at the back of the car and looking underneath it.

Hannibal opened his car door, getting out. “Do you need a hand?”

“I must have hit a rock or something,” the man said, not looking up. “I think I gouged my gas tank.”

Hannibal approached, his steps measured and heavy.

The man brushed off his palms and stood, and Hannibal stopped dead in his tracks.

He was not often caught off guard, but not only was this man not Dr. Palmer, he was the most stunning man Hannibal had ever seen. Dark hair was loose about his head, with light raindrops beginning to collect on it. His features were perfectly proportionate, and looked like they could have been painted by one of the masters. His eyes were bright blue and were sharp with frustration.

“I just bought this car _today_ ,” he said, more to himself than to Hannibal. “I _hope_ I hit a rock. The alternative idea isn’t pleasant.”

“Is it not under warranty?” Hannibal offered, knowing full well that it wasn’t, but wanting to hear the explanation he was beginning to suspect for the mix-up that had robbed him of his dinner plans.

“A colleague sold it to me. More like an acquaintance, really.” He ran a hand through his hair, turning back to look at his car. “We agreed on it last week, but today it was all official.”

Hannibal nodded, more to himself. He hadn’t made any error in his calculations; he had simply not foreseen such an event. Hannibal briefly considered making a substitute in his plans; it wouldn’t really matter in the scheme of things. But he preferred to adhere to his principles whenever possible, and he would much rather take this encounter for a different sort of opportunity.

“May I offer you a ride?” Hannibal asked. “The weather is turning inclement.”

“I live in Wolf Trap. And I have Triple-A,” he said, sounding tired. “But I appreciate the offer.”

“Then may I drive you somewhere else at least? There is surely no need to wait here. A tow truck can collect your car without you.”

The man stared at him, brows furrowed, as a skeptically hopeful look appeared on his face. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all. It is the least I can do. Please, I insist.”

“All right,” he finally said. “We’re not that far from the college boulevard. You could drop me at one of the late night cafés.”

“An excellent plan,” Hannibal said with an amiable smile, pleased to have orchestrated a scenario for a longer conversation. “I don’t believe I caught your name?”

“It’s Will Graham,” he said, holding out his hand.

Hannibal took it. “Hannibal Lecter. A pleasure.” 

Will nodded. “Let me get my things from the car.”

“Of course.”

Hannibal got back into his own car while Will rummaged in his and turned on the hazard lights. He emerged a moment later with a briefcase, and he walked in Hannibal’s direction. Will opened the passenger door and got in.

“Ready?” Hannibal asked.

Will nodded. “Thank you again.”

“Think nothing of it. We should all endeavor to help others whenever we can.”

Hannibal put the car in gear and turned around, going back in the direction they had come from. Will was silent, staring vacantly out the windshield.

After a moment, Will said, “I’m a complete stranger. I could be a serial killer.”

Hannibal looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “Are you?” he asked with interest. This meeting could prove more fortuitous than he ever could have imagined. 

Will laughed. “No. Just pointing out the obvious of picking up someone off the side of the road.”

“Your car malfunctioned. You were not purposefully requesting a ride.”

“Serial killers go to greater lengths than pretending to have car trouble to lure in victims.”

“They do indeed,” Hannibal commented, thinking of his own machinations. His voice was light as he added, “You question my picking you up, but you do not question your accepting a ride? I could be a serial killer.” 

Will laughed again. “Sorry. I shouldn’t be talking about serial killers. It’s an occupational hazard, but not the best topic to bring up when attempting to be social.”

“Perhaps that is true as a general rule, but it’s not a topic I object to. It comes up somewhat often in the psychiatric field.”

It was a moment before Will spoke again. “You’re a psychiatrist?” The easiness in his voice had vanished, and Hannibal could feel tension beneath the words.

“For some years now. Does that bother you?”

Will snorted. “At least you didn’t ask how that makes me feel. I just have… something of a history with psychiatrists.”

“A bad experience with therapy? If you don’t mind my asking; if you would rather not answer, I completely understand.”

“I’ve never been to therapy,” Will said. “That hasn’t stopped every psychiatrist I’ve met from trying to get into my head.”

Hannibal smiled to himself, biting back the flirtatious reply that he would much rather get into Will’s pants. It wouldn’t do to be so forward when they were in an enclosed space and Will could be uncomfortable.

Instead, Hannibal said, “While curiosity is an occupational hazard, I assure you, most psychiatrists are not actually analyzing everyone they meet.”

“That may be true in general, but it hasn’t been my experience.”

Hannibal changed the subject. “What is your own occupational hazard, then? That causes you to speak of serial killers?”

They had now made it back to one of the city roads, and fast food restaurants were beginning to appear.

“I teach at the FBI Academy,” Will said. “But I’ve been here every other night for the last two weeks because I got roped into doing a series of guest lectures.”

“Indeed? It sounds a fascinating line of work.” The fact that Will was FBI made him a complication on the surface, but Hannibal had never liked life to be dull.

“I suppose,” Will said. “I talk about psychopaths all day long and just hope someone is picking it up.” He pointed at a sign up ahead. “You can drop me off there.”

Hannibal nodded, and a few moments later, he was pulling into the parking lot of a café. There were only a few other cars, but it looked like a pleasant place with an old-fashioned feel.

“Thank you for the ride,” Will said, unbuckling his seat belt. “I really appreciate it.”

“It was my pleasure. May I come in with you?” Hannibal asked, smiling to make his interest clear. “Perhaps buy you a coffee?” Statistically, the chances were that Will was straight, and even if he wasn’t, he could be uninterested regardless.

But Will didn’t immediately say no. He looked at Hannibal thoughtfully before he said, “I’m not sure I would be the best company.”

“I disagree,” Hannibal said, still smiling.

“I’m not… very sociable.”

“You seem to be doing an excellent impression of it, then. I found nothing lacking in our conversation.”

Will smiled to himself, like he was flattered, but at the same time wasn’t quite sure why Hannibal could possibly be interested in him. Then he said, “Perhaps we should continue it inside, then.” His smile turned wry as he added, “Though I can’t promise that I’ll be able to maintain an impression of sociability, especially this late.”

“I would never ask you to.” Hannibal smiled again, pleased that Will had accepted his invitation, casual though it was. He opened his car door, Will did likewise, and together they made their way to the café’s entrance.

Hannibal opened the door, allowing Will to pass through first. This was not what he had planned to do tonight, but as Will smiled at him again, he found himself perfectly satisfied with the events of the evening.

He was already anticipating the enjoyment of spending time with Will. For however long it continued.

**Author's Note:**

> This could probably be continued at some point, but as of right now it's just an AU oneshot.
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [fancybedelia](http://fancybedelia.tumblr.com/)!


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